/*unedited*/

In the middle of the night, a young maid is quietly standing behind a handsome young man. s.h.i.+n Jiao is calmly thinking of the things that she just told him.

"Sigh… This s.h.i.+n Jiao person who looks like me would really ruin my reputation. If I go out of this place, I should be careful and not attack more troubles." s.h.i.+n Jiao thought.

"Thank you… Thank you for telling me these things." s.h.i.+n Jiao said towards the maid with a smile.

When the maid saw him showing a gentle smile, she was stunned and unable to divert her eyes from him. She even forgot to answer in a curtsy.

s.h.i.+n Jiao learned from the young maid that, the real son of the Jiao's was a pampered young man. He would chase after girls in the clan, and would always cause trouble. But because of his mother's position and strength in the family, he would almost always get away from it.

But then one day, the young miss of the Xiemen family, Qiling Xiemen took a liking to him because of his handsome face. But because of his lecherous disposition, he actually wanted to take advantage of this and offended her.

This didn't sit well with the Xiemen clan and threaten the Jiaos. Due to being a lower n.o.ble the Jiao clan was unable to stand against them. When the naïve and foolish s.h.i.+n Jiao heard this, he actually ran away from the clan. Once he was out of the clan, he was chased by the Xiemen clan people. Aye Muyan is unable to do anything as she was held back by her husband. Though she wanted to fight back but became powerless and was suppressed by the Jiao clan. She can't do anything but cry and lament for her son's misfortune.

Then later, news of s.h.i.+n Jiao's death reached the Jiao family, which neither gave them any reaction nor sorrow. They kept this news from her and decided to throw her out of the family to keep the family from further more troubles from the Xiemen clan.

Now that s.h.i.+n Jiao can almost deduce the situation, his heartfelt pity for the woman Aye Muyen. He then decided to stay by her side for the meantime; he didn't know the reason why and didn't care.

Unknown to him, this would be the first time that he decided to become selfish and take something for himself.

"If that person didn't want to protect his mother, then so be it. Thank you… at least for once in my life, I can have a thing called mother." s.h.i.+n Jiao thought as the prospect seem to make him feel a bit excited.

…

Two weeks have pa.s.sed since they started to stay with Aye Muyen.

Since s.h.i.+n Jiao stayed at home and took the chance to solidify his cultivation, he seldom goes out of his house.

Meanwhile, Aye Muyan is standing near the porch of her house and looking at a small peach tree. Her mind is out somewhere thinking of the things that have happened for the past two weeks. From what she notices from her son's mannerism and little action, it seems that nothing has changed. But what confuses her is that he seems to be different. As a mother, her inner instinct is telling her that something is wrong. But she herself wanted to deny it because right now she didn't want to accept the reality that the person may not be her son.

That night after dinner, she asked s.h.i.+n Jiao to see her in her study room.

"Excuse me! I'm coming in." s.h.i.+n Jiao politely said as he enters the room.

Aye Muyan turns her gaze towards the handsome young man which really resembles her son. She wanted to use a spell to disperse any enchantments to expose his true appearance, but she hesitated. She wanted the young man to tell her the truth.

"Son… Sit down," she said while gesturing for s.h.i.+n Jiao to take the seat in front of her.

"You wanted to talk to me?" s.h.i.+n Jiao said.

"Sigh… until now you can't bear to call me mother?" Aye Muyan said with a gentle smile.

s.h.i.+n Jiao studied her facial features for a bit and notice that, even though she is a bit aged due to stress and worry, but it didn't hide the fact that she is a very beautiful woman once before.

With a heavy heart, s.h.i.+n Jiao decided to come out with the truth. He could not help it because he is already regarding the woman as truly his mother.

For the past few weeks, he receives kindness and familial love from her making his heart soften. He wanted that every moment of this time would not end and that he can truly call her mother. But alas, he himself knows that it's all a lie. A make-believes, just like all the lies in his life when he works as a spy.

"I… Mrs. Jiao. I think it's time for you to know the truth. I'm not your son… Though my name is also s.h.i.+n Jiao and I have the same appearance as your son, I am not him… I grew up as an orphan, and was raised by my grandfather." s.h.i.+n Jiao explained.

Though he didn't tell her about the earth, however, he told her that he came from the town of Dis in the Yi kingdom.

Upon hearing his story, Aye Muyan didn't say anything for a long while. After fifteen minutes of pin-drop silence, her mouth suddenly quivers as if she wanted to say anything but hesitated as she didn't want to cry.

"Umm… Are you… are you going to leave me?" this is the only thing that comes out of her mouth.

Although she has already realized that the young man in front of her is not her son. But his kind disposition and polite behavior would always sit well with her. She truly wanted that he is her son, a das.h.i.+ng man of good stature. Every time he would gently hold her while they walk around the garden, when he listens to her old ramblings and laugh with her, she truly wanted him to be her son. But she can't say it; she didn't want to accept the truth.

Upon hearing this, s.h.i.+n Jiao heaves a heavy sigh. He was thinking that Aye Muyan would throw him out; he didn't want to lose those days when he would listen to her stories as he walks beside her. He didn't want to lose this feeling of having a mother by his side.

Though many people neglected their mothers as they would find them annoying, well, his grandfather is worse than that. His grandfather would always nag him in almost everything, but he still loves him and cared for him until the end of his life.

Right now, the complex feelings between the two are entangled with many emotions. But at the end of the day, s.h.i.+n Jiao has to decide and ask the question with reluctance.

"Sigh… Do… Do you want me to leave?" s.h.i.+n Jiao asked with a heavy heart.

But then, suddenly he noticed Aye Muyan having tears in her eyes.

"No… No… I want you to be my son. Even though, I'm not your mother and you my son. I wanted you to be my son." Aye Muyan said while bawling.

She is now acting selfishly in her heart. The young man in front of her may not be his biological son, but in all aspect she truly wanted him to call her mother.

Upon hearing this s.h.i.+n Jiao's heartfelt elated and warm. She already knows the truth but still wanted him to be her son. His heart almost melted in this warm scene in front of him. s.h.i.+n Jiao didn't hesitate and hugged the crying woman.

"Mo… Mother… Mom…" s.h.i.+n Jiao muttered in a low voice.

Though he wanted to control it, however, a bead of manly tear still slowly slid down his cheek. This is the third time he cried for someone. First was when his grandfather left him, then when his heart was broken, and this is the third. But this tear is not out of deep sadness but out of extreme happiness. Something that he has never thought would happen in his life. For someone to accept him as her son, though he knows that this is due to his appearance and the woman's sorrow, yet he didn't care.

At least now, he can have someone to call his own mother.

Aye Muyan and s.h.i.+n Jiao chatted for a while before the middle-aged woman fell asleep. s.h.i.+n Jiao took her into her room and tucked her in bed. Before leaving, he looks at her now tranquil face as if the entire burden in her world was lifted. Now on her beautiful face is a happy and contented smile which made him happy.

When he walks out of the room, he saw the two maids smiling in front of him.

"You're both seemed happy?" s.h.i.+n Jiao asked.

The two maids turn to look at each other and towards s.h.i.+n Jiao.

"I'm sorry young master s.h.i.+n. We… we overheard what you and madam talk about." One of them said.

"We hope that you would become a good son to madam." The other one added.

"Sigh… What are your names?" s.h.i.+n Jiao sighs in helplessness and relief.

"I am Tin-tin and she is Shao-Shao." The maid who told s.h.i.+n Jiao about the past said.

s.h.i.+n Jiao nods his head and walks out of the house.

When he enters his own house, one of the maids named Shao-Shao suddenly turns to Tin-tin.

"I really like him, that the old master s.h.i.+n Jiao," she said in a low voice towards Tin-tin.

"Umm… I think he is more handsome. Hihihi…" Tin-tin replied while her eyes are like stars s.h.i.+mmering in the night sky.